Weekly Recap

I finally got around to ordering the last minute things like competition jewelry and booking my show day hair, makeup, and spray tans. I also ordered the all the vitamins and supplements I’ll need for Peak Week.

I also booked a fitness photography session for the day after the show to have some photographic evidence of my hard work! I know the closer to the show the better, but I kind of wish I could have a day to just sleep in and relax without having to drive all over the city.

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George and I started to think through the logistics of check-in the night before and show day. We realized I pretty much won’t be available from 4:30 on Friday until Saturday night. I was starting to get stressed out about making it to all my appointments on time and what I would do between pre-judging in the morning and the night show without ruining my tan or incurring normal everyday mom stress by going home to the kids. So even though the show is only a few miles away, we decided to get a hotel and fly my mom down from Minnesota to help with the kids for the weekend. Now I’ll get to relax and prevent cortisol spikes and my kids will get some grandma time. And my husband will get to stay with me in the hotel!

The cravings this last week have been crazy and I’ve definitely noticed myself getting hangry! At work this week, there was really delicious looking banana pudding in the lounge. I was eating lunch with a colleague and asked him if I could watch him eat it. After laughing hysterically, he indulged me and even described it using really good adjectives!

But I’ve also noticed how easily I react to stress, especially from my kids. On Wednesday night, my daughter was not cooperating and wouldn’t go to sleep and I was sooo tired. I ended up eating a spoonful of chocolate almond butter (note to self: don’t buy this from Target anymore because I WILL eat all of it!). And then on Friday, I stayed home with the kids because their school was closed and ended up opening and eating 4 chocolate covered almonds that I’d purchased for show day. I know, I know, 4 almonds doesn’t sound like the end of the world. And really, stopping at just 4 would be a major success for any other time, but I know how I react to sugar, and this could be a very slippery slope sending me into full-on sugar cravings! And at this crucial time period during prep, that’s exactly what I don’t need.

I’m also getting to the point where I miss baking and experimenting with recipes, but I don’t have much wiggle room in my diet for extra ingredients. So this week I made some Zucchini Bread Oatmeal! Like my peanut butter egg white oatmeal, it has egg whites cooked in for some extra volume as well as grated zucchini. Haha yes, I put vegetables in my oatmeal and it gives it a funny green color, but it was good, still bikini meal plan approved, and just what I needed to mix things up a little bit before I go crazy!

I’ve also been doing a lot of research for unexpected things a first-time bikini competitor may not know, and I’ve compiled some very strange things:

First Time Bikini Competitor Tips

No deodorant before spray tanning and no showering until after the show is over. Because the first application of the tan occurs the evening before, everyone gets a little smelly going on 30 hours without a shower or deodorant!
Pack a disposable cup for trips to the restroom. Once the tan is applied, you can’t get it wet or it will steak the bronzing layer.
The spray tan rubs off on everything. I’ll need a long sleeved shirt and sweats to sleep in, dark colored sheets, and a dark colored towel for the first shower after the show.
Pack foods to help fill out muscles right before going on stage. I was surprised to hear this can be things like honey (boring) or treats that I haven’t had in months like cookies or candy. Because it will be right after Easter, I picked up a Cadbury egg and some other candy bars. and my coach suggested I make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Now the biggest challenge will be to not eat any of the dough while making them! Maybe I’ll be safe and just buy one to avoid any temptation.
Eat a burger and fries the night before the show. I’m so excited about this, but it better not be some kind of mean joke to sabotage all my clean eating for the last several weeks! Just like the candy, this should help fill and swell the muscles.

Progress

Bikini Training Program

Strength x 5 days (More simple and shorter workouts this week! Mostly 3 sets of 13)
Cardio x 6 (30 minutes AM fasted or 20 minutes PM HIIT on strength days, 45 minutes fasted on rest day)

Strength Training

Monday: AM Legs/Abs

Tuesday: Back/Biceps/Shoulders/Abs circuit

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Legs/Abs

Friday: Shoulders/Triceps/Abs circuit

Saturday: Shoulders/Chest circuit

Sunday: Rest

Cardio

Monday (after weights): 22 minutes Aaptiv Single and Not Sorry (after weights)

Tuesday (AM fasted): 31 minutes treadmill Aaptiv Three-Part Pace Play

Wednesday (45 min fasted): 47 minutes outdoor run Aaptiv 90% Mental

Thursday (AM fasted): 20 minutes treadmill incline walking – I was supposed to do 30 but I had to be at work at 5:15 am and I ran out of time. I had planned on doing more in the afternoon but I was SO tired.

Friday (after AM weights): 16 minutes outdoor run Aaptiv Oops… I Sprinted Again x2 to/from Stroller Strides

Saturday (fasted): 30 minutes outdoor run Aaptiv You Better Work Brit

Sunday: none

I talk a lot about Aaptiv and it’s pretty much the only way I can do this much cardio! They advertise it as “on-demand audio fitness that combines the guidance of a trainer with the perfect playlist to give you a fresh way to work out.” They have hundreds of workouts for outdoor running or walking, treadmill, elliptical, stairclimber, cycling, race training, yoga, strength training, and meditation. I used to hate cardio, but this app is so motivating with a trainer in your ear telling you exactly what to do and encouraging you along the way.

I remember a few years ago when the idea of a competing in a bikini competition started to bounce around in my head. But seeing the training plans and the amount of cardio required, especially towards the end, I thought “no way I could ever do that much boring cardio!” Now the fun part of my week is looking through all the workouts on Sundays, narrowing them down by favorite trainers, genre of music, and duration, and planning them out for the week! I have a to-do list within the app of AT LEAST 50 workouts!

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Meal Plan

A few things changed in my meal plan this week. I thought I’d really like it, but turns out they weren’t my favorite. I like the idea of French toast and it really was good, but serving it with almond butter just wasn’t the same as syrup. I also don’t really like eating a lunch/dinner type of meal in the afternoon. I much prefer to eat something I can quickly eat if I’m still busy at work or in the car on my way to the gym for an afternoon workout or pick up the kids from day care.

Here’s what a typical day of eating looks like for me (please keep in mind that this meal plan customized for MY specific dietary needs for my height, weight, workout intensity, AND my caloric needs for breastfeeding). This may not be appropriate for you.